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General control line discussion => Open Forum => Topic started by: Paul Taylor on July 25, 2010, 11:40:01 AM
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I need to get a battery for my flite box 12volt.
What is every one using?
Thanks
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I use a standard 12 volt motorcycle type battery. I know Pete Peterson has a trick one that's about half the size and weight of mine.
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Paul,
You think you might not leave a 12volt battery on the field??? >:D
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Paul,
I bought a gel cell at the LHS (the one west of Tammies that we visited), and it gave me trouble from the start. Everything worked perfectly except my half A starter (which was new at the time). Thought I had a bad starter, but decided to solder all the battery to panel connections to eliminate that as a problem.
After soldering, I recharged the battery with it still sitting outside my flight box, where I could measure voltage drops across the connections. Plugged in my starter, connected my multimeter directly to the battery tabs, and pressed the starter button. The meter immediately dropped to about eight volts!
This was an off the shelf alarm system battery, not a Hobby specific gel battery like Hobbico. Unfortunately, the battery had no warranty, so I had to buy another. I told them that if they didn't warranty the new one, they would get no more business from me! They said no problem, bring it back and we will replace it. The second battery has worked like a charm, and my Miller starter now cranks every engine I've tried, up to and including a 15 diesel.
Randy has good results with motorcycle batteries, and those are what I used for many years while flying R/C. They are more rugged, have good terminal studs instead of solder tabs, and last for years. The only problem is that they can vent acid inside your flight box, so you have to charge them with care.
By the way, I found a gem of a charger at Batteries Plus for twenty bucks. It has an attached led module that indicates charging (yellow), fully charged (green), and open, or connected in reverse (red). Mine is made in Germany by "Werker". The best part, is that it does not say "Made in China"! #^
Bill
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get a battery that is used for the ride on toys. 12V gell at least 6ah. Some guy use wet cell motorcycle batteries, but gell ones are out there. harbor frieght has a little charger for about $3. lawn tractor batteries are teh least costly but also the biggest and heviest.
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I don't like the idea of 12 volts near my fuel. That said, many do it.
I use (for my Sullivan starter) a battery rated for my old Triumph. A gel cell with 1/4" male tabs. I use a trickle charger for same. Forget the lead/acid types that require topping off. Batteries have come aways since that.
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I've had my 12 volt from Tower for several years, I charge it at the beginning of the season and forget about it. Runs my fuel pump and my starter all season. Well worth the bucks.
Will
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Paul, when you junk your next UPS take a good look at the battery. Many are 12v about the right size.
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I'm using a Hobbico 4ah 12v cell that I bought from Tower. I only use it to fire up my power panel and glow clip.
My stunt buddies are giving me crap and want me to use a nicad starter thingy. Fine for speed limit combat though.
-Chris
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Paul
Several years ago I acquired some heavy duty Ni-Cad batteries. each pack is 5 "F" cells, 6 volts at 7 AH. I have 4 packs, two in my flight box and and 2 in the cabinet.
An "F" Cell is the diameter of a "D" cell but 1 1/2 times the length. 2 F cells will fit in a three cell standard flashlight.
You are welcome to the spare set.
My home phone 317-387-1940
Clancy
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I am going away from using a 12 v and power panel.
I use a small glow starter (NiCd C cell type) and use a 3S 2100 lipo pack (if you know any electric flers, and old one not good for flying works well) for the starter. I velcro the pack to the side of the starter.
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funny, but for c/l I only take a daniels ni-cd glo plug battery to thed field; but for r/c i use my car to run my flite box. I run a heavy wire from the battery [with a fuse] to a trailer connector at the rear, ground it to the frame and another connector to plug my power panel into it. - works for me. Nick
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Had not been for my 12V from Tower which I think is Hobbico I would not have got i the air. My little ni-cad head lock always fails me when I need it most. Charge it before use and go to the filed to practice with no problems all day. Today, just off the charger and I got one burp run on the LA 25. Would not even light the new plug I put in the LA 46. I like my 12v with power panel. H^^